


All In A Day's Trade

by seki



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-22
Updated: 2018-09-22
Packaged: 2019-07-15 13:58:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,026
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16064561
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/seki/pseuds/seki
Summary: A short insight into the mind of Dino Ghiranze, very early on in the game timeline.





	All In A Day's Trade

**Author's Note:**

> This work was created for Compendium: A FFXV Charity Zine. This zine was to raise money for Cancer Research UK, and focuses on the various characters in the world of FFXV, with writers and artists from around the UK contributing. Copies of the zine are available to buy here: http://bit.ly/compendiumffxv

The view from Galdin Quay is, to coin a phrase, a doozy.

Vast blue ocean, voluptuous coastline. It'd be perfect, if it weren't for Angelgard. That island nags the eye. It makes the place look unfinished, and Dino doesn't like incomplete works. They make his fingers itch.

Still. Ain't nobody can set foot on Angelgard, so the best Dino can do about it is look and itch. It's his assignment, such as it is, to lurk at the dock and keep an eye on what goes in, out, and -- most importantly -- what goes on. So he can sit himself right there with that view, fiddle with his gems and his wires, trade gossip with the sailors and servers, and let his eyes linger on Angelgard from time to time.

Sure beats the docks back in Insomnia, that's for sure.

Coctura brings him out another coffee, while he's idly plaiting together copper strands. It's to be a neckpiece, or maybe a headpiece -- he'll decide closer to the end -- and fancy braidwork is something he can do without even thinking these days. Coctura sets herself down next to him, sips at her own cup.

"On break, sweetheart?"

"I've a few minutes."

Dino glances over at her. "Spending it out here with ole me? I'm honored."

"Don't be. I'm here to cash in that favour."

"Which favour would that be?"

"The one that gets me information." Coctura leans in, lowers her voice. Girl's got enough smarts not to let just anyone listen in. "Someone's trying to shut the docks down. The docks go down, we lose the fishing, half our custom dries up."

Dino holds up the braid, considers it. Copper wouldn't do for Coctura's hair. Not enough contrast against that rich brown. Maybe a neck-piece would be good, something with sapphire or turquoise to bring out her eyes. He digs around, pulls out a setting, begins tying the braid ends on; he'll solder it, later, in his room. "And you think I, a simple honest jeweller, might have a name for you?"

Coctura snorts. "Or a motive."

"That I can give you, easy. No docks, no boats across the channel." Dino gestures out towards the water. "No leaving Lucis for fairer shores."

"Someone wants to stop people going to Accordo?"

"That'd be my guess. Of course, I'm just a jeweller. What do I know?"

He glances over; Coctura's mouth is set in a stern line, her eyes distant. Good. This girl's smart, she can guess who might need the boats, what with all the news of future weddings on foreign soil.

"Now you tell me," he adds, and grins to soften the request, "you got space in the restaurant for me tonight?"

She sighs, elbows him gently. "On a weekend? I can squeeze you in at the bar, if you promise to behave."

"On my honour."

"Like you have any." She gets up, dusts her apron down, and then she's gone, leaving Dino with his wire and his view. He turns out his pouch on the bench and rummages. Bingo -- in the sprawl of gems he's got stashed in there, an aquamarine cabochon, maybe a bit flashy for daywear but he's always preferred brilliance to boredom. He measures it up, pretends to inspect it for flaws, thinks.

Someone wants the docks shut. That's good information, from a good source. And that interference stinks of the Empire's oh-so-subtle methods.

Oh, they won't show their hand too openly. They'll just apply pressure, maybe start by closing down the official ferry. That would be within their rights. Then if they really wanna block the route, they'll have to prevent access to private vessels. Anything with an engine, leastways. 

There's a slim chance that his Highness might get here in that window. Best not to count on it.

Dino cranes his neck, peers out along the shoreline. There's the fisherman, there on the pier; he owns a one-man sailboat, Dino knows. Definitely a last resort. Sailing alone across the Cygillan in a skimmer might as well be suicide. 

Any of the boats that dock here at the Quay ain't likely to be easy to acquire. Maybe with a word in the right ear he can advise someone to park their boat in one of the little bays nearby, but asking anyone to usher a wanted man and his entourage over the sea to uncertain safety ain't exactly a small favour. Dino makes a mental list of people he can approach, discreetly-like. Just in case.

Funny, though. If the Empire wanted this wedding, had written it into this peace treaty of theirs, then it seems fishy for them to prevent it. More than fishy.

Which might mean this peace treaty ain't all it promises. Dino swallows down a rising sense of impending disaster as the implications sink in. Crap. This could be serious shit. He'll have to send word to Insomnia, see if he can warn the right people. If he ain't too late to do so. If anyone'll pay attention to him, drawing big conclusions from tiny rumours.

He makes calls. His contacts brush his warnings off as paranoia. The Empire wants peace, an end to the war, they all say. Everyone's tired of fighting. The Empire's taking most of Lucis, in the treaty. What more could they possibly want?

Vyv listens, at least. "I get you," he says. "I reckon they're just gonna claim breach of contract if he doesn't show up."

It's plausible. "Ya think?"

"That or it's about keeping the Oracle in their custody."

Vyv's right. There are lots of reasons for the Empire to be messing with things. His stomach settles. He ends the call, holds up the gem, calms himself down. The Empire might be undermining its own treaty, but that doesn't have to mean the whole contract's a write-off. 

Angelguard pulls his eye back. Lurking at the edge of his sight, unsettling and ominous. Dino determinedly turns his mind to other things. Rich dark hair and copper wire against pale skin. Aquamarine's a stone for calm seas, peace, courage. Protection. A good omen.

Because, frankly, that Prince is gonna need every good omen he can get.


End file.
